Starting School
We have welcomed all the children into class this week and we are so proud of how everyone is settling in, getting to know their new classroom and making new friends.
PE Day
PE will start on Monday 16th September. Please send your child to school in their PE kit every Monday. ( plain white t-shirt, navy blue shorts, school jumper and trainers they can fasten themselves.)
Bags, Wellies and Spare Clothes
Don’t forget to bring in your school wellies and a draw string or small bag of spare cloths/underwear to keep in school. Thank you to the parents and carers who have already provided these.
Family Photo
We will soon be talking and learning about different families. Next week we will introduce out first focus book The Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith. To support our learning, please send in a photo of your child with their family. You can in a copy of your photo or email it to:
stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org
Dates for your diary
This year we will be offering various opportunities for you to find out more about Early Years at school.
There will be after school meetings with your child’s teacher.
There’ll be stay and learn sessions where you can come into school and be part of a lesson and then find out how you can help at home.
Then, opportunities to pop into school to share your child’s learning journey book with them.
We hope that you can join us for as many of these sessions as possible.
Welcome to Reception
An invitation to this event was emailed to you back in July but here is a reminder.
Come into school to find out some basic “need to knows” about life in Reception.
18.09.24 – 6pm – 6.30pm
Stay and learn sessions
This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child learning in school.
Phonics Phase 2 and coffee morning – 09.10.24 9am-10am
Number 1 – 13.11.24 2.20-3pm
Phonics Phase 3 – 14.01.25 2.20-3pm
Fine Motor and coffee morning – 03.02.25 9am-10am
World Book Day- 06.03.24 9am-10am
Number 2 – 18.03.25 2.20-3pm
Learning Journey Drop In’s
An opportunity to “drop into” school and share your child’s learning journal with them.
Learning Journey Drop in 1 – 03.12.24 and 05.12.24 Times – 8.45 am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm
Learning Journey drop in 2 – 28.03.25 and 01.04.25 Times – 8.45 am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm
Learning Journey drop in 3– 08.07.25 and 10.07.25 Times – 8.45 am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm
Please note that a paper copy of these dates will also be sent home this week.
Have a happy and healthy weekend.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Miss. Feldman and Mr. Smith
Our new sensory space; The Den
Over the summer, Mrs Freeman has been busy creating a sensory themed room in school.
The Den is a safe space which aims to provide any child with the individualised sensory input they need to self-regulate so they can be better prepared for learning and interacting with others.
The Den offers a safe space for relaxation, exploration, independence, and social sessions. The resources in The Den can be used to stimulate, soothe, entertain and distract, depending on the child’s requirements.
We would like to say thank you to the school PTA for the contributions towards resources for this room.
We hope users of The Den benefit from the stimulating visual and tactile activities.
Welcome to Reception
We’ve been busy over the summer holidays washing all the teddies and toys so we’re ready for when you start ‘big school!’
Your classroom is all ready and set up and we’re looking forward to lots of learning, making new friends and having fun!
If you need to get in contact with a member of the team please use our dedicated email: stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org
We’re looking forward to the year ahead, getting to know you and your children.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Miss. Feldman and Mr. Smith
Teddy Bears Picnic
We had a fun filled day when our teddy bears came to school for the day. They sat beautifully with us on the carpet and as we did the register and they even joined in for reading practice. Our reading team teachers were so impressed with them all!
In the afternoon we went out onto the big field and had a lovely picnic with sandwiches, cucumber and carrots and a few crisps it was so much fun!
“This is the best day ever!”
“My teddy really likes school!”
The Fish Who Could Wish
This week our focus book was The Fish Who Could Wish by John Bush and Korky Paul.
The children have enjoyed talking about the things they would wish for if they were special like the fish.
“I would wish for a new bike.”
“I would wish for a swimming pool.”
“I would wish for lots of friends.”
Our word of the week was Unique the children have really enjoyed using this during their learning.
“I am unique because nobody has hair like me.”
“I am unique because I have legs like this.”
Poetry Picnic
This week our poem was Dance by Nancy White Carlstrom (good luck with the actions!)
Do a dance says one foot.
Other foot says let’s jiggle.
Hands say clap, slappity slap.
And all of me says wriggle.
Help at home: can you teach our poem of the week to your family, don’t forget to include the actions?
The classroom Challenges this week have been
- to write a message to the fish who could wish.
- to sort the pictures into morning activities and night time activities.
- to draw and label a fish.
- to paint a self portrait.
Move Up Day Fun
The children had a great time when they went to visit their new classroom and teachers. Miss Bye and Mrs Palmer as really looking forward to getting to know ‘the best class in the school’ in September.
Nell Bank
What an amazing, but slightly wet day we had when we went on our school trip to Nell Bank, the children were so fantastic and showed great resilience. During the day we listened to a story called Tidy about Pete the Badger who likes everything in the forest to be neat and tidy. We went on a walk and found some rubbish that we sorted it into things that can be recycled and things that can’t. We crawled through some badger tunnels, had our lunch, (the highlight of the day!) went looking for minibeast and then made a home for a baby badger. It really was a jam packed day out!
Reminders and Notices
Please can you send your child to school with a sun hat and sun cream already applied.
Waste Innovation– Please don’t forget to send in any donations for us to be creative.
Have a happy and healthy week and please don’t forget to email any pictures from home to stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman.
I make safe choices, including online!
This week has been safety week across school. In Nursery and Reception we had a visit from Dave at D-side.
He spoke to us about the importance of being safe online and what we should and shouldn’t do!
We watched a little video about a girl playing a game on her Daddy’s computer and all of a sudden an advert popped up to win a toy.
Should the girl click on the prize?
‘ No, it could be dangerous’
Here are some other response we had from the children in relation to sharing personal information online ..
‘They might ring your number’
‘They might drive to your house’
‘Because they might find where you are playing’
Who should we ask before we go online? use a computer, Ipad or phone?
Mummies, Daddies, Grandparents, uncles, aunties older people’
Help at Home: Can you remember what these numbers mean?
Have a happy and healthy weekend!
Miss Ward, Miss Harvey and Miss Feldman
Nell Bank School Trip
Our next school trip is on Tuesday, please see below the kit list for a Day Visit to Nell Bank.
Clothing
Practical outdoor clothing- long trousers please as we will be walking through long grass and will be outside for most of the day.
Trainers
Hat
Waterproof coat
Gloves
Wellies
Packed Lunch
Including a filled drinks bottle
It is hungry work being outside!
If you have any questions please come and catch a member for the team.
Thank you
Mrs. Kendrew
Clean Up
We have had fun this week using our focus book Clean Up by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola. The children have been wonderful talking about the messages in this book.
Our word of the week was pollution the children have really enjoyed using this during their learning.
“The girl cleaned up the pollution like in the other story (Somebody Swallowed Stanley) to save the turtle.”
“I saw some rubbish on the way to school that is pollution.”
Poetry Picnic
This week our poem was Five Little Peas
Five Little Peas
Five little peas in a pea pod pressed.
One grew. Two grew.
So did all the rest.
They grew, and they grew,
And they did not stop,
Until one day the pod went POP!
The classroom Challenges this week have been
- to write a thank you message to the clean up crew.
- to cut out the parts of the turtle and put it together.
- to copy and continue a pattern.
- to work as a team like the clean up crew and recycle something.
Sports Day Fun
WOW! what a great time we had, sports day was so much fun! We had a great time showing our super physical skills. We loved our book themed races and it was great to cheer on our friends and grown ups as they raced.
Next week our focus book is The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Reminders and Notices
PE– Is on Wednesday please send your child to school wearing their PE kit and trainers they can fasten themselves.
Forest School– Is on Thursday please send your child to school in their PE kit with their forest school water proofs and wellies in a labelled plastic bag.
Please can you send your child to school with a sun hat and sun cream already applied.
Waste Innovation– Please don’t forget to send in any donations for us to be creative.
Have a happy and healthy week and please don’t forget to email any pictures from home to stjames@spherefederation.org thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman.
Sharing a Shell
This week our focus book has been Sharing a Shell.
We have enjoyed reading about the three friends in the rockpool. We looked at some non-fiction books to find more information about rockpools. We also compared seaside holidays in the past to the present.
Our word of the week this week was thoughtful the children have really enjoyed using this during their learning.
“We need to be thoughtful when we use the pens and remember to put the lids back on them.”
“My mummy is thoughtful to me all the time.”
Poetry Picnic
This week our poem was The Big Ship Sails
The big ship sails on the ally-ally-o,
The ally-ally-o, the ally-ally-o.
Oh, the big ship sails on the ally-ally-o,
On the last day of September.
The captain said it will never, never do,
Never, never do, never, never do.
The captain said it will never, never do,
On the last day of September.
The big ship sank to the bottom of the sea,
The bottom of the sea, the bottom of the sea.
The big ship sank to the bottom of the sea,
On the last day of September.
We all dip our heads in the deep, blue sea,
The deep, blue sea, the deep, blue sea.
We all dip our heads in the deep, blue sea,
On the last day of September.
The classroom Challenges this week have been
- to paint a shell to add to our class rockpool.
- to write a message to the friends from our story.
- to make a rockpool.
- to count the pattern on the paper, how many did you count? Can you record the number?
- to explore the rockpool we have made in class, what do you notice?
Getting ready for year one
As the weather becomes brighter and we near the end of the academic year you may be thinking about your child’s next steps as they journey into Year 1. Moving to Year 1 is perhaps a less significant change for children, and that’s because we’re a happy and healthy place to learn where we all know each other.
A zoom meeting for parent’s starts our transition process, here you will meet the Key Stage 1 staff and find out about the Year 1 curriculum.
The zoom meeting is on Monday 1st July at 6pm please follow the link that will be emailed to you.
The next step is for your child to spend some time in the Year 1 classrooms. They’ll meet the teachers and join in with the learning, they’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be in Year 1. The whole-school transition, later in July, completes the process, by spending a morning with their new class teacher.
This is a really exciting time of year, moving on and taking those next steps whilst continuing to strengthen the effective learning behaviours they have established in Reception.
This week we have been to visit the year 1 classroom, the children enjoyed sitting on the carpet and having a look around the classroom. We will pop in again next week to have another look.
Next week our Focus book is Clean Up
Reminders and Notices
Nursery and Reception Sports Day– Wednesday 26th June from 9am (children will be out on the field by 9:30am) we should be finished for 10:30am.
Forest School– Is on Thursday please send your child to school in their PE kit with their forest school water proofs and wellies in a labelled plastic bag.
Please can you send your child to school with a sun hat and sun cream already applied it looks like it is going to be a warm week.
Waste Innovation– Please don’t forget to send in any donations for us to be creative.
Have a happy and healthy weekend and please don’t forget to email any pictures from home to stjames@spherefederation.org thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman.
Seaside Poems
This week our focus book has been Seaside Poems.
We have really enjoyed looking at the rhyming words and reading the different poems. We also talked about and compared two environments, a city (Leeds) and the seaside. The children did a great job talking through their ideas.
“A city has lots of tall buildings. At the seaside you see boats.”
“I can see lots of people in the city. I can see lots of sand at the seaside.”
Our world of the week this week was City the children have really enjoyed using this during their learning.
“I have been to a city called Leeds, it is bigger than Wetherby.”
“London is a really big city. I have been there.”
Poetry Picnic
This week our poem was I Have A Little Frog
I have a little frog,
His name is Tiny Tim,
I put him in the bathtub,
To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water,
And gobbled all the soap.
And when he tried to talk,
There were bubbles in his throat.
The classroom Challenges this week have been
- to sort the images of the seaside (coast) and the city.
- to write an I can see sentence about what you can see in the seaside picture.
- to pick two animals and add the amount of feet they have together.
- to find the tricky words hidden in the outdoor area.
- to use the loom bands to make a shape in the board.
Next week our Focus book is Sharing a Shell
Reminders and Notices
Class Photos- are on Wednesday, please send your child to school in their school uniform. We will still do PE, but in our school uniform for this week.
Forest School- Is on Thursday please send your child to school in their PE kit with their forest school water proofs and wellies in a labelled plastic bag.
Please can you send your child to school with a sun hat and sun cream already applied on sunny days.
Waste Innovation- Please don’t forget to send in any donations for us to be creative.
Have a happy and healthy weekend and please don’t forget to email any pictures from home to stjames@spherefederation.org thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman.